GREATER HUNTSVILLE LINKS ARE DRIVING TOWARD A HIGHER CENSUS RESPONSE WITH COMMUNITY CARAVAN HELD TO BOOST ENGAGEMENT

 SOURCE: Patrict Grayson, KGAStrategic

Photo Caption: Above, members of The Greater Huntsville Chapter of The Links, Incorporated teamed up with the Coalition for Justice Through Civic Engagement to host a “Census Caravan.”
Photo Caption: Coalition for Justice Through Civic Engagement (CJCE) stands in front of the Buffalo Soldier Monument.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Leaders say certain areas of Huntsville have low census response rates. On Saturday, July 25th, local groups rallied together to get people counted, and they didn’t even have to leave their cars.

The Greater Huntsville Chapter of The Links, Incorporated teamed up with the Coalition for Justice Through Civic Engagement (CJCE) to host a ‘Census Caravan’.

The caravan circled the Calvary Hill and Butler Terrace neighborhoods for people who still needed to fill out the census.

Sharon H. Butler, President of The Links, Incorporated, said that their Census Caravan was designed to “get the attention of residents.”

Afterwards, a festive parade leading back to an information and assistance booth at the Buffalo Soldier monument in the Cavalry Hill subdivision was held encouraging residents to signup and vote. The booth was supported by CJCE members. Dr. Tanya Perry, CJCE Chairwoman explained, “We were prepared with laptops and cellphones to assist on-site to get residents registered for the census and registered to vote.”

Even as Huntsville is applauded for a nearly 70% census response rate compared to the State of Alabama response rate of 60%, there are community pockets reporting at only 40- 50% of the true population. Historically, renteroccupied, multi-family housing neighborhoods are undercounted in the census. This means their communities will miss out on the full Federal Funding that would be allocated for hospitals, community health clinics, schools and even roads. Furthermore, low response rate neighborhoods will contribute to a State of Alabama undercount that could lead to the loss of a Congressional seat.

“It is known over many years that more renters don’t turn in their census compared to homeowners. And so we want to raise awareness in neighborhoods that are high-density renters and encourage them to fill out the census,” said Census Caravan Coordinator, and Greater Huntsville Chapter of Links, Inc. member, Karen Stanley to WZDX Fox 54 News. She continued, “The census affects federal funding that will come for hospitals, that goes for schools, public safety. It’s just so important,” added Stanley.